Augmented Reality is all set to go mainstream for a number of reasons. First, all the top players are releasing their platforms to make AR app development easy. For instance, during the WWDC 2018 event, Apple released the ARKit 2.0. This is the advanced version of the kit it had released previously. Secondly, user mindsets have begun to adopt this new technology. Finally, industries wanting to improve the virtual experience without undermining the reality are all set to use AR-based apps.

Currently, most of the AR apps appear on the flat surface, i.e. they are plane-based. They don’t connect easily with the human gestures, as the human body and their movements have not been understood completely, and their deeper meanings have not been fed into the machines to help them learn.

Recently, an AR app called Octi is trying to defy this rule. Octi uses machine learning to recognize the user behavior in front of the camera and apply this learning to understand a wide range of effects that are connected to this gesture. This will help the AR apps to be built in a 3D manner.

Octi’s innovation will take AR to another level. While this will definitely improve the experiences, it is important for you to take into consideration the basics of AR, and how to derive a classy app for your business.

Here, we will take you through the features that are essential for an AR app and the design considerations. Let’s start one-by-one.

Must-Have AR App Features

Here, we will discuss the features that you should necessarily integrate into your AR mobile apps for the best outcome

Geolocation

Remember Pokemon Go? This was built as the first ever commercial AR app. It used geolocation as a way to help you locate the creatures and add them to your kitty. Geolocation allowed users to know if there were any creatures in their proximity, and they were able to easily tap the screen and find them.

Geolocation can also be added to your app to discover new things or to view the different places. In a museum, the geolocation would point at the location of the monument or any other part of the history. Once you tap on it, the entire detail of the place/person would be made available on your screen. It is an important feature of your AR application.

Facial Recognition

If you are planning an application like Snapchat or want to increase your engagement, you can make use of the facial recognition technology combined with the lenses to allow the screen to change with the facial movements.

The filters in Snapchat are compelled to perform some new function with the movement of the eyebrow or the lips. This feature has increased engagement for the platform. You should ideally have the lenses feature if you are planning to develop an e-commerce platform, or if you want to give a virtual tour of your premises or some property. It can be used in a number of industries, where human gestures on the camera allow for the change in action

Camera

Integrate the camera into your AR mobile app and seek its help in discovering how the product would look. This would help the different e-commerce stores to better showcase their products. You can unveil how the clothes would fit the person in concern. You would know if the size L is too big or small for you. Cameras are also useful for the hospitality and food industry, in regards to applying AR mobile development to their products and services.

Checklist for AR Mobile App Development

Planning

Nothing goes right if you have not planned it properly. You ought to make sure you are well-versed with the requirements and know what kind of app you want to develop. This planning includes a blueprint or roadmap to the development process. You ought to have sketches ready for the AR app screens.

Prominent Features

Make sure you have a list of features that you want to add to your AR app. Too many features can spoil the app. So, if you are planning on using the gestures and facial recognition, then make sure you use features that can be synced with this one.

Budget

If you have not planned it yet, then, you should do it now. This will ensure that you don’t end up spending more than necessary on the AR for mobile app development.

Prioritization

Divide your app development into small, yet important, phases. This will accelerate the development and ensure speedy time-to-market estimation.

Marketing Strategies

Plan your app marketing beforehand so that you know how you want to reach your customers. It is important that you divide the marketing into pre-launch marketing and launch marketing phases.

Competition Analysis

A thorough understanding of the competition and how they are winning is essential if you want your app to stand out. Make sure that you know what your competition is doing differently.

Conclusion

The must-have features and this checklist should help you get to convert ideas into an experiential AR application. You need to keep yourself abreast with the latest trends and technologies — validate your ideas before you begin planning or executing.